Adjustable pedestal for elevated sectional floors



1963 .1. w. SPISELMAN 3,100,624

ADJUSTABLE PEDESTAL FOR ELEVATED SECTIONAL FLOORS Filed 001;..18, 1960 l 6 FIGI FIGZ \1: 30 l sy i l'lllllllllllllllllll'r INV 0R JOSEPH W. SPIS A N ATTORNEY United States Patent York Filed Oct. 18, 1960, Ser. No. 63,406 3 Claims. (Cl. 254-401) This invention relates to improvements in constructions in adjustable pedestals for elevated flooring, and the principal object of the invention resides in the provision of a new and improved pedestal which includes all the benefits of the prior art but also having in addition the ability to flatly horizontally support the elevated flooring sections on a sub-floor which is uneven and wherein the pedestals are obliged to be placed on inclined surfaces on an undulating sub-floor or the like.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a new and improved pedestal and head construction in which the head is held more firmly to the pedestal where the sub-floor is flat and level but still at the same time having the ability to also support the elevated floor flatly by a slight inclination of the head relative to the pedestal so that the pedestal may be set on the sub-floor at an angle to the vertical out the head itself presents a normal fiat horizontal surface to the elevated floor sections which themselves are held horizontally by the heads on adjacent pedestals which may be mounted on more truly horizontal portions of the floor.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a support for sectional elevated flooring, said support comprising in general a base plate, a pedestal mounted thereon and normal thereto, there being means such as a nut for instance threaded on the pedestal and mounted for movement thereon in a vertical direction and supporting a separate head, the head in turn supporting the sectional flooring, the nut or similar means having a flat upper surface which is parallel to the base plate aforesaid and upon which the head is directly supported, said head comprising a recessed or hollow barrel member or the like which is generally vertical and received over the top free end of the pedestal and having a lower end normally resting flatly on the nut or the like; but in this invention the lower free endof'the head barrel member is cylindrically formed so as to be capable of a rocking motion on the nut.

Still further objects of the invention include the fact that the recess in the head barrel member for receiving the upper free end of the pedestal is not fully cylindrical but has a semi-cylindrical side surface portion and a semioval side surface portion to provide for til-ting of the head relative to the nut and the pedestal as aforesaid, so that the head may be canted slightly relative .to the pedestal and can therefore present the top surface of the head horizontally to the floor sections; and the provision of an improved pedestal and head as above described in which the head being cast affords a straight side on the semi-cylindrical portion of the recess aforementioned with all of the draft necessary for removal of the casting from the die being located in the semi-oval section and there being in the semi-oval section of the wall of the barrel member of the head an aperture through which is projected a fastener, said fastener impinging upon the pedestal and securing the head to the pedestal and forcing the pedestal intointimate contact and flat straight contact with the semi-cylindrical side wall surface if the pedestal is vertical or nearly so, but being capable of being released to an extent to allow the aforesaid tilting of the head relative to the pedestal, said fastening means having a pointed end which may engage the threads on the pedestal to hold the head from vertical motion even though not tightly clamping the head to the pedestal in inclined position of the head.

The invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had in which FIG. 1 is a view in elevation illustrating a device ac cording to the invention, parts being broken away and in section;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2of FIG. 1 and illustrating the elongate cross section of the recess therein and showing the position of the pedestal against the semi cylindrical portion of the recess; and

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross section through the head and nut and illustrating the pedestal inclined as on an irregular portion of the floor, the head having a horizontal floor supporting surface.

Reference is hereby made to a copending application Serial No. 63,404 filed Oct. 18, 1960.

In carrying out the present invention, a base plate 10 is provided of square or rectangular form upon which is mounted in right angular relationship thereto an upright member or pedestal or standard '12 which is threaded. This member can be solid orcan be in the nature of a pipe.

On the upright threaded standard 12 there is a nut 14 Which may be square or hex, and of course nut .14 is movable up-and-down standard 12 on being rotated in the appropriate direction.

The elevated flooring to be supported is illustrated at 16, 16 and it is supported through the intermediary of a head 18 which has a top floor piece supporting surface at 20. This surface is desired to be maintained horizontal regardless of undulations or irregularities in the subliooring upon which the plate 10 is mounted so that the sections of the flooring 16 will be held and supported itilearly horizontally regardless ofthe irregularities of the The head 18 is provided with a downwardly projecting hollow barrel or thimhle-like member 22 having a recess.

The lower end surface of the barrel-like member 22 is normed on a cylindrical radius or similar curve as shown.

at 2 6, see FIGS. 1 and 3. The nut 14 is positioned at the correct height for the head 18 to support the flooring 16 at the elevation desired, and it will be seen that the head 18 is therefore rockably mounted, on the top surface of the nut 14, and this top surface of the nut 14 is parallel with plate 10.

Referring now to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the recess 24 in the barrel member 22 of the head 18 is not cylindrical but is of elongate cross section with a semi-cylindrical side surface which is indicated at 28 at one endand an opposite semi-oval surface 30 at the other end. Thus the pedestal 12 is loosely received in the recess 24, but on the other hand the radius of the pedestal 12 is preferably the same as the radius of the semi-cylindrical portion 28 of the inside surface of the barrel member 22 so that a portion of the pedestal 12 may he firmly seated against the semi-cylindrical wall 28. The oval wall 30 is provided with a draft necessary in casting of the head 18 but no draft is necessary on the surface 28 so the same may be straight and parallel to the axis of pedestal 12 when pedestal 12 is mounted vertically, in which case the upper surface 26 of the head will be clearly horizontal.

However, if the plate 10 is mounted on an inclined surface so that pedestal 12 is tilted'(see FIG. 3), then there is enough looseness in the recess 24 in the head to allow Patented Aug. 13, 1963.

to the accompanying drawings,

' \3 a respective tilting action between head 18 and pedestal 12, and this relationship is clearly shown in FIG. 3. It will be observed in this figure that now pedestal 12 is not snugly secured against the semi-cylindrical surface 28 but instead is. relatively tilted slightly so that it is at least partly in the oval area, and this is allowed by the curved surface 26 rockingly mounted on the top surface of the nut 14, which of course is inclined the same as plate It). It is to be noted that the size of the oval recess is exaggerated for the sake of clarity.

In the wall of the barrel member 22 which forms the surface 30, there is "a tapped hole at 34 giving access t a threaded locking member 36 having a thumb-piece 38 and a circular abutment 4th. The threaded member 36 has a pointed end 42 for engagement with the threads of the pedestal member 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, the standard 12 is tightly clamped with relation to the semi-cylindrical inner surface 28 by means of the screw-threaded member 36 and this is the condition where the pedestal 12 is vertical. It will be clear that the abutment member 40 engages the side of the nut and prevents the same from'turning under influence of vibration which may be imparted to the floor and the head so that the parts are therefore presented in permanent.

arrangement although they may easily be later adjusted if desired merely by backing oil the threaded member 36.

If, however, the plate It) happens to rest on a somewhat inclined portion of the sub-flooring, the screw as does not tightly thrust the pedestal 12 against the surface 28 and this condition is shown inFlG. 3. However, the pointed end 42 of the screw member 36 is still engageable in the screw threads on the pedestal l2 and thus still forms a locking member between the head and the pedestal and still prevents turning of the nut 14 in eitherdirection.

It will be seen that this invention provides a pedestal support for elevated flooring in which the elevated flooring may be held exactly horizontal regardless of the un-' dulations of the subdlooring and the head 13 above described can be used in any situation throughout the flooring so that no special head is required under any circumstances.

Due to the shape of recess 24, the pedestal 12 may be held in intimate fiat contact with the semi-cylindrical portion 28 of the recess by means of threaded member 36, but on the other hand if it is necessary to relatively tilt these members as in FIG. 3, the parts are still held together al through in this case upright 12 is not held against the entire semi-cylindrical portion 28 of the recess 24. Nevertheless, due to the convexity of surface 26, the nut still positively and adjustably supports the head 18 and thus the flooring, and there is a mechanical lock due to the pointed end 42 of the screw-threaded fastener 36 which still holds head 18 to the upright 12.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages 2 thereof, it do not wish to be' limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but

what I claim is: p

1. An adjustable pedestal for elevated flooring, said pedestal comprising a base member, an upright pedestal member mounted thereon. said upright member having a threaded portion, a nut threaded on said pedestal member, a pedestal head, said head adapted \to contact and support the flooring and having a recess opening downwardly to receive the portion of said pedestal member above said nut,

the lower end of said pedestal head being curved and in contact with said nut so that said head can be in inclined relationship relative to the axis of said pedestal member, said recess having an elongate shape in transverse cross section, with the surface at one end being similar in size and contour to a corresponding portion of said pedestal member above said nut, said surface extending substantially over the length of said recess, and means for urging at least part of the corresponding portion of said pedestal member against at least part of said surface to hold said pedestal member and said pedestal head in fixed relationship.

2. A pedestal according to claim 1 wherein said urging means comprises a set screw extending into said recess opposite said surface.

3. An adjustable pedestal for elevated flooring, said pedestal comprising a base member, an upright pedestal member mounted thereon, said upright member having a threaded portion, a nut threaded on said pedestal member, a pedestal head, said head adapted to contact and support the flooring and having a recess opening downwardly to receive the portion of said pedestal member above said nut, the lower end of said pedestal head being curved and in contact with said nut so that said head can be in inclined relationship relative to an axis of said pedestal member, said recess having an elongate shape in transverse cross section, with the surface at one end being of generally semi-cylindrical shape, similar in size to a corresponding portion of said pedestal member above said nut, said surface extending substantially over the length of said recess, and means extending, into said recess opposite said surface for urging at least part of said corresponding portion of said pedestal member against at least part ofsaid surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 11,057,465 Simon Apr. 1, 1913 1,570,730 De Lano L Ian. 26, 1926 2,956,653 Liskey Oct. 18, 1960.

FOREIGN PATENTS 8,929 Great Britain Apr. 8, 1914 

1. AN ADJUSTABLE PEDESTAL FOR ELEVATED FLOORING, SAID PEDESTAL COMPRISING A BASE MEMBER, AN UPRIGHT PEDESTAL MEMBER MOUNTED THEREON, SAID UPRIGHT MEMBER HAVING A THREADED PORTION, A NUT THREADED ON SAID PEDESTAL MEMBER, A PEDESTAL HEAD, SAID HEAD ADAPTED TO CONTACT AND SUPPORT THE FLOORING AND HAVING A RECESS OPENING DOWNWARDLY TO RECEIVE THE PORTION OF SAID PEDESTAL MEMBER ABOVE SAID NUT, THE LOWER END OF SAID PEDESTAL HEAD BEING CURVED AND IN CONTACT WITH SAID NUT SO THAT SAID HEAD CAN BE IN INCLINED RELATIONSHIP RELATIVE TO THE AXIS OF SAID PEDESTAL MEMBER, 